1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to high-voltage power supply devices, and more particularly to a device of the kind of above described which utilizes the energy accumulating in a plurality of inductive circuits for the generation of a high voltage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 517,744 and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,751 filed on Oct. 24, 1974 by inventors Iwata et al, entitled "High D.C. Voltage Generating Apparatus" and assigned to the same assignee as that of the present application, a power supply device is disclosed in which an inductive circuit and a resistor are connected in parallel with each other, and direct current is supplied to the resistor after having continuously supplied the direct current to the inductive circuit, thereby generating a high DC voltage across the resistor for applying this high voltage to the inductive circuit.
While the copending application relates to a power supply device adapted for generating a high voltage in an inductive circuit, another power supply device of the type above described may be required in which such an inductive circuit is magnetically coupled to a load circuit for supplying a large current to the load circuit. In such a power supply device, it is required to increase the energy accumulation in the inductive circuit by enlarging the accumulating capacity of the inductive circuit for increasing the amount of the direct current. The increase in the energy accumulation in the inductive circuit results in the corresponding increase in the electromagnetic force produced in the inductive circuit, and the inductive circuit is required to possess a very high strength sufficient to withstand the increased electromagnetic force. Further, the increase in the amount of the direct current supplied to the inductive circuit requires the corresponding increase in the capacity of current interrupter means by which the current supplied to the inductive circuit is permitted to flow through the resistor. Furthermore, the increase in the amount of the direct current results in increased power losses in the circuit.
With a view to obviate such disadvantages of a power supply device of this kind, it has been considered to modulate the device to include a plurality of reactors (inductive circuits) so that the energy accumulated in these reactors can be successively discharged for supplying a large current to a load circuit. However, this modulation makes the power supply system very complex in circuit structure compared with conventional power supply devices of this kind. Further, in the course of the successive discharge of the energy accumulating in the plural reactors, the high voltage generated upon interruption of power supply from a power source to one of the reactors tends to be applied to the remaining reactors and to the power supply circuits and interrupting means associated with the latter reactors. Furthermore, various limitations pertinent to circuit constants and characteristics of switches and other circuit elements make it difficult to attain the required successive interruption of the power supply from the power source for supplying the energy to the load circuit within a relatively short period of time required by the load circuit.